Just wanted some feedback on worm castings. I have bought a whole tote of them and have started adding them to my figs.

Has anyone ever tried cupping with perlite and worm castings? I am going to have to start cupping soon, the cuttings someone (Alan) was so kind as to give me are getting roots so it won't be long.

Also, anyone from a really humid place.... I am wondering why the cups in the container couldn't be put outside in the shade with the lid off and brought in at night and covered. I am wondering if that would help with the whole problem of taking them out of the humidity to pot up again.

Interesting, I just bought some worm castings myself.  I have a Hunt fig that I received from JF&E in the fall and am going to move it to a 6.5 gallon SWC (self watering container) this weekend.  I plan on adding some worm castings (1 cup) to the potting mix.  It can't hurt and it can only help.

My opinion is that new cuttings might be a bit early to try worm castings and perlite only.  Of course, if you want to experiment and report your results like many members do here, go for it. 

Many members are not as lucky as us to be blessed with very high humidity : )  You would have to time your cuttings to coincide with the high humidity in the late spring / summer.  Well, then there is the other concern.  When the humidity gets high so do the temperatures and the cuttings might bake in the heat even in the shade.  You did make me think of another experiment though, I'm going to try starting some cuttings this summer directly in 1 gallon nursery pots outside.

That's what I'm talking about Steve. We're blessed with the weather to be able to try this stuff out. It just makes me wonder how people got their figs before we had all the bells and whistles, ya know?
Then I see pics of cuttings left in a bag outside over winter that are growing.

worm castings are so dense when damp I dunno I'd want just castings and perlite but I bet if you mixed some into whatever your usual mix is I wonder if they'd like that

Yup, you know what the "old timers" did?  Stuck a fig stick in the ground and it grew.

I agree 100% with Nichole!  Also, for whatever it's worth, I do have a "Worm Factory" and make my own castings (well, actually the worms make the castings!).  If you add 10-20% castings to the mix, that's more than enough.

That is awesome Figaro. I looked into getting a worm hotel going but I'm scared to death that I'll somehow manage to kill them all.
What kind of a set up do you have?

That is really interesting. I'm looking at them on ebay and they're right about $110. I spent $25 on one order of castings. One investment and I could be set. I think worm tea would be perfect for figlets.

12,000 worms is inconceivable to me. How many should I start with on a 4 bin set up?
Do you recommend a place to get them? I am also going to have a look at the guy I bought the castings from.

I use worm castings in my cutting mix and soil mix.  My cutting mix is mostly perlite - more than 95%.  I add a thin dusting of an organic material to the top so the air spaces don't get clogged.  The organic things can be whatever I have around:  peat moss, worm castings, pine bark dust, etc.

For those interested to build their own cheap 'worm-compost' gismo;
there are tons of googled  info/help on the subject. Here is one site:
http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/easywormbin.htm
I may build one myself...

I think I'm going to buy one. The home made tub ones don't look all that sturdy and I know at some point the dog will jump on it or more likely I will run into it when I'm not watching where I'm going.

I figure with the set up cost it will have paid for itself in 120 days.

I watered a few small ones I have with worm tea last night. They came to me without being hardened and I have been having a little trouble with them so I am hoping this will help them a little.

Figaro,

Thanks for sharing the video.

I found this is really a bargain. 5 try system $69 + $9.99 Shipping. free shipping over $99. So I added 6 pack of coco fiber $34.
http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Outdoor/Worm-Composting/VermiHut-Worm-Compost-Bin-Terra-Cotta?gdftrk=gdfV23673_a_7c1677_a_7c8224_a_7c3110009_a2s__a3a__a2s_3110012&gclid=CNmn9LDAqLYCFUhV4Aod2UUApw

Another excellent resource about worms & vermicompost is this:
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/
They also have a terrific resources page listing resources in different states:
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/vermiculture/directory-by-state.html

There are some common misconceptions about worm compost tea and leachate.


Worm compost tea is made using the castings themselves. There are many worm compost tea recipes, some involve using unsulfured mollases.

Leachate is the liquid that drains away from the worm bin.
My worm bin is a nested set of 5 gallon buckets, the top bucket having holes on the bottom to let the moisture drain out....the leachate drains into the lower bucket.

I used to dilute the leachate and pour it on plants, but nearly everything I have read recently says it's not really good for plants so now I dump it down the toilet. 




http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/using-worm-bin-leachate/

http://vermicoast.com/leachate-use-it-or-lose-right-or-wrong-you-decide/

http://www.naturesfootprint.com/leachate-vs-worm-compost-tea

Thank you for letting me know that. I am making tea from castings  as I haven't set up my worms yet but I would have dumped it on the plants.

Tami just to clarify, tea made from the castings is great.
It's the excess moisture in the bin itself [leachate] that is not so good.

Yes, I water my figlets with worm tea but I would have used the juice, I wouldn't have known better.

Question.....where do you guys place your worm bin?  It's been extremely hot in Charlotte over the past 30 days----some days 100 degrees.  I know the worms will cook in temps like that.